SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING A RESPONSIBLE SERVICE AREA FOR A SERVICE REQUEST CALL

• US 20130308762A1
• Filed: 05/16/2012
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: West Technology Group LLC (West Corporation)
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Nelson, Michael Jay
• Granted Patent: US 8,831,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications

Abstract

A method for determining a responsible service area for a service request call, the service request call including a civic address indicating locus of origin of the service request call, includes: (a) accessing a geographic information system database relating to the locus of origin to identify a street line segment containing the civic address; (b) determining whether the street line segment is wholly contained within any polygon; (c) when the street line segment is wholly contained within a respective polygon, presenting the respective polygon as the responsible service area; and (d) when the street line segment is not wholly contained within the respective polygon, (1) recording a data deficiency identifying the non-containment as a polygon-segment error, (2) determining an estimated locus of the civic, address on the street line segment in a resulting polygon containing the estimated locus, and (3) presenting the resulting polygon as the responsible service area.

Claims

1. A method for treating data errors while determining serving area responsibility for a service request call;

the method comprising;

(a) receiving said service request call;

said service request call including, a civic address indicating locus of origin of said service request call;

(b) accessing a geographic information system database relating to said civic address;

(1) when said geographic information system database does not include a street line segment containing said civic address,

[a] employing another method for determining said serving area responsibility; and

[b] proceeding to step (d);

(2) when said geographic information system database includes a street line segment containing said civic address,

[a] determining whether said street line segment is wholly contained within a serving area polygon of a polygon set relating to said serving area;

(3) when said street line segment is not wholly contained within said serving area polygon,

[a] recording a data deficiency via a change tracking record for later use in correcting data;

[b] geocoding said civic address to approximate geographic location of said civic address;

[c] determining an including serving area polygon containing said approximate geographic location as said serving area responsibility; and

[d] proceeding to step (c);

(4) when said street line segment is wholly contained within said serving area polygon,

[a] determining said serving area polygon as said serving area responsibility; and

[b] proceeding to step (c);

(c) returning said serving area responsibility; and

(d) terminating the method.

3. The method for treating data errors while determining serving area responsibility for a service request call as recited in claim 1 wherein said serving area polygon relates to a public safety answering point serving said locus of origin.

4. The method for treating data errors while determining serving area responsibility for a service request call as recited in claim 1 wherein said civic address is based on a master street address guide.

2. The method for treating data errors while determining serving area responsibility for a service request call as recited in claim wherein said service request call is an emergency service request call.

5. The method for treating data errors while determining serving area responsibility for a service request call as recited in claim 2 wherein said serving area polygon relates to a public safety answering point serving said locus of origin.

6. The method for treating data errors while determining serving area responsibility for a service request call as recited in claim 2 wherein said civic address is based on a master street address guide.

7. The method for treating data errors while determining serving area responsibility for a service request call as recited in claim 6 wherein said civic address is based on a master street address guide.

8. A system for treating data errors while determining serving, area responsibility for a service request call;

the system comprising;

(a) a service center configured for receiving said service request call;

said service request call including a civic address indicating locus of origin of said service request call; and

(b) a data processing apparatus coupled with said service center for accessing a geographic information system database relating to said civic address;

said data processing apparatus being operated so that;

(1) when said geographic information system database does not include a street line segment containing said civic address, another method is employed for determining said serving area responsibility;

(2) when said geographic information system database includes a street line segment containing said civic address, whether said street line segment is wholly contained within a serving area polygon of a polygon set relating to said serving area is determined;

(3) when said street line segment is not wholly contained within said serving area polygon,

[a] a data deficiency is recorded via a change tracking record for later use in correcting data;

[b] said civic address is geocoded to approximate geographic location of said civic address; and

[c] an including serving area polygon containing said approximate geographic location is determined; and

(4) when said street line segment is wholly contained within said serving area polygon, said serving area responsibility is returned.

9. The system for treating data errors while determining serving area responsibility for a service request call as recited in claim 8 wherein said service request call is an emergency service request call.

10. The system for treating data errors while determining serving area responsibility for a service request call as recited in claim 8 wherein said serving area polygon relates to a public safety answering point serving said locus of origin.

11. The system for treating data errors while determining serving area responsibility for a service request call as recited in claim 8 wherein said civic address is based on a master street address guide.

12. The system for treating data errors while determining serving area responsibility for a service request call as recited in claim 9 wherein said serving area polygon relates to a public safety answering point serving said locus of origin.

13. The system for treating data errors while determining serving area responsibility for a service request call as recited in claim 9 wherein said civic address is based on a master street address guide.

14. The system for treating data errors while determining serving area responsibility for a service request call as recited in claim 13 wherein said civic address is based on a master street address guide.

15. A method for determining a responsible service area for a service request call;

said service request call including a civic address indicating locus of origin of said service request call;

the method comprising;

(a) accessing, a geographic information system database relating to said locus of origin to identify a street line segment containing said civic address;

(b) determining whether said street line segment is wholly contained within any polygon;

(c) when said street line segment is wholly contained within a respective polygon, presenting said respective polygon as said responsible service area; and

(d) when said street line segment is not wholly contained within said respective polygon,

(1) recording a data deficiency identifying said non-containment as a polygon-segment error,

(2) determining an estimated locus of said civic address on said street line segment in a resulting polygon containing said estimated locus, and

(3) presenting said resulting polygon as said responsible service area.

16. The method for determining a responsible service area for a service request call as recited in claim 15 wherein said service request call is an emergency service request call.

17. The method for determining a responsible service area for a service request call as recited in claim 15 wherein said serving area polygon relates to a public safety answering point serving said locus of origin.

18. The method for determining a responsible service area for a service request call as recited in claim 15 wherein said civic address is based on a master street address guide.

19. The method for determining a responsible service area for a service request call as recited in claim 16 wherein said serving area polygon relates to a public safety answering point serving said locus of origin.

20. The method for determining a responsible service area for to service request call as recited in claim 16 wherein said civic address is based on a master street address guide.